LOGINAriel bursts out laughing and gestures out to the rest of the roof. “Of all the interference to our plans, you’re going to point out this tiny, adorable, sleeping infant pup as the problem!?” Both boys look down at the little dark-haired baby, whose amber eyes flicker open to betray her mother’s w
Jesse sighs, glancing at his watch and then looking to the door, an undrunk glass of champagne in his hand. “Where the hell is your damn sister?” “Your damn cousin,” Rafe murmurs, draining his glass and then pouring himself another. “You’d better stop that,” Jesse says, turning his head to Rafe
She goes still for a moment and then laces her fingers with his, squeezes his hand. “We’re not dating or anything,” she snaps. “Just…because you got all rejected and stuff. I didn’t come running up here just because you’re single – I thought you were going to die –“ “Sure, you didn’t,” Jesse says,
“I love you, Jesse,” Midnight whispers, watching him, her little mouth trembling, her entire body feeling weak. “I love you too, Mids,” he replies. “Always.” She nods once. And then disappears. Midnight fights hard against her emotions as she flits through the castle, moving back and forth bet
“I’m saying,” Midnight says, freely crying now, cupping Jesse’s face in her tiny hands. “That I – I don’t want to have your pups, Jesse. Ever. Ever. I don’t want them.” She shakes her head, vehement. “I think I’d be a bad mom. I’d leave them at the grocery store and forget they were there. I – I jus
She has to admit though…the stars are a pleasant addition. Midnight’s wolf gives a little worried howl, sprawled out in her soul, her little legs too weak to carry her much or far these days. But Midnight smiles a little and strokes a mental hand over her wolf’s fur, pleased to see her free and cl
“I know, I know,” mom says with a sigh, flopping down next to me on her stomach. “I am willing to wait. And if you decide you don’t want kids, Ariel, that’s fine too – I’ll badger Rafe and Junie and Mark, because one of you will have to give in. I just…” she shrugs, and I look over at her seriously
Dad’s frown deepens, so I double down. “Mom said I look pretty,” I say, quickly shifting my hand so I point at her now. Mom gasps a little in protest at my betrayal, but dad ignores it all. “You do look pretty, Ariel,” he says, his words even and slow. I drop my hand with a grin, realizing that
Round after round passes, and I’m devastated when I start to see Luca flagging. It’s not obvious – not to anyone but those of us who know him intimately. But his blows – they’re a little bit slower. His footwork just the tiniest bit sloppier.He also stops showboating a bit between rounds, instead h
“Just don’t blow my cover,” he murmurs, rubbing my back for a moment as the bell sounds again and the fight starts anew.I watch carefully as Luca and the Atalaxian champion come together again and again, sometimes trading blows, sometimes moving in fast just to dodge away again. Luca, I notice, get







